1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic measuring apparatus for quantifying a trace component contained in a specimen such as blood, serum, blood plasma, urine, etc., through biochemical or immunological reactions for example.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Up until now, measuring apparatuses are known which convey specimens and reaction receptacles separately by use of different conveyors or turntables, during which process a certain amount of specimen is sucked and discharged into the reaction receptacles to cause required reactions and thereafter make measurements (see Japanese Patent Laid-open Pub. No. Hei3-51762 for example).
Such conventional apparatuses may suffer from requirement for two or more separate conveyors due to the separate conveyance of the specimen receptacles and the reaction receptacles by means of different conveyors or the like. This may result in an enlarged size of the apparatus, in higher manufacturing costs and in an increased number of moving parts, requiring periodical maintenance. The increase in the number of the conveyors or other moving parts may lead disadvantageously to an increase in the number of conveyance means for driving them as well as to requirement of complicated control thereof.
The full amount of the specimen within the specimen receptacle is not necessarily subjected to measurement, but rather a certain amount of specimen is ordinarily sucked by dispensing means and is discharged into the reaction receptacle. Accordingly, in cases where the specimen receptacles and the reaction receptacles are conveyed on different conveyors or other means as in the prior art, the distance of horizontal movement of the dispensing means from the specimen receptacle up to the reaction receptacle will be elongated and transfer means may also become complicated.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an automatic measuring apparatus having reduced dimensions at lowered manufacturing costs, which minimizes the number of the moving parts for conveying the specimen receptacles and the reaction receptacles to thereby dispense with frequent maintenance.
Thus, the inventor has come to complete the present invention as a result of wholehearted investigation to achieve the above object. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an automatic measuring apparatus comprising an annular conveyor for conveying specimen receptacles each having a top opening and reaction receptacles each having a top opening in an intermixed manner, conveyance means for imparting a drive to the conveyor, dispensing means for acquiring a certain amount of specimen from the specimen receptacles and for discharging it into the reaction receptacles, and transfer means for transferring the dispensing means in both the horizontal and vertical directions, wherein a horizontally extending track of the dispensing means defined by the transfer means coincides with part of a receptacle conveyance track provided by the conveyance means.
The above and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.